'Grandfather was

green 30 years 

before green was cool'
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

Thousands of feet, both in elevation and the kind that wears hiking boots, traverse the trails of Grandfather Mountain, and visitors, as well as hikers, have found easy access to the internationally recognized biosphere.

Grandfather Mountain has always been a destination for explorers, naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts, but its early trails were often more adventurous than recreational, but its trail system wasn't formalized until 30 years ago.

The trails were originally animal trails that hunters had walked, and later groups opened informal trails that shifted around and were often lost. The trails were overgrown and trail signs had fallen, which made hiking an arduous adventure in the 1970s.

A young hiker by the name of Randy Johnson sought the snowiest mountain in the South, eventually discovering Grandfather Mountain. He often wandered the trails with his dog, until the day he showed up to find the trails had been closed.

"There wasn't really any professional management of the back country trails and there was some concern the trails would be shut down," Johnson said. Hikers often got lost there, and one even died of hypothermia shortly before Johnson took over the trails management.

"Grandfather Mountain is one of the most spectacular mountains in the East, and even though most visitors drive to the top to the Swinging Bridge, there were outdoors people even 30 years ago who would see the top of the mountain and say, 'Let's go up there,'" Johnson said.

"It's a potentially dangerous mountain," Johnson said. High winds, extreme cold, lightning and other hazards combined with the steep, rocky trails to create risky conditions for those without much hiking experience.

As a college student, Johnson and a group of friends would have a five-day backpacking trip each January.

"Then one day, I came back to go hiking and there were 'No trespassing' signs on the mountain, It appeared as if they were closing the trail."

Johnson, who said the mountain had a tremendous effect on his life, set up a meeting with the late Hugh Morton, who owned the mountain and worked to preserve it.

Johnson presented a management plan built around a user-fee system that would allow hikers to fund maintenance of the trails and preservation of the back country.

When Morton asked how that could happen, Johnson said, "Hire me." He'd been conducting wilderness-management research for the U.S. Forest Service and had studied recreation management for a number of years.

"I had my own research to base my proposal on," Johnson said. "I started the hiking permit program that is still in place today."

In 1978, there were five trails in use, and those trails were hard to find. "They were completely overgrown, so the first thing I had to do was locate the trails," he said. "In the case of the Daniel Boone Scout Trail, that trail was essentially lost. I basically ended up crawling on my hands and knees, locating the trail. I found tin can lids used as markers that were almost rusted away. I saw where people's feet had made trenches in the ground and followed all the oldest indications of a trail I could find."

Most of the trails were cut over the years by volunteers, but there was no continuity of management or maintenance. Lack of trails also limited the opportunities for biological research in the unique habitat.

"Grandfather Mountain is a special place, right now, an international biosphere preserve," Johnson said. "A mountain of that status really deserves professional management."

He invited researchers to conduct studies on the privately owned mountain, promoting the mountain's unique biological resources. He highlighted specific rare animal and plant species, which he said led to more scientists taking the mountain seriously, instead of viewing it solely as a tourist attraction.

Protection efforts for the Virginia big-eared bat and peregrine falcon brought attention to the mountain and helped build Grandfather's profile as a serious preservation effort.

Johnson said the trail-management program was a key way to preserve the back part of the mountain, and as a seasoned hiker he was skilled in designing trails, using a compass and map.

He would locate scenic and beautiful stops on the trail and link them through gradual footpaths. Brush and trees would have to be cut, and a level grade for the path installed. "It's like digging a ditch in a rock pile," he said.

Today there are 11 hiking trails on Grandfather Mountain, and hikers pay a nominal fee, outline their plans and receive a map. "What people also got was the ability to know that if they didn't come back, there was a record that they would be on the mountain, and people could search for them," Johnson said.

Managing the trails, including hauling materials up the mountain to build a hiking shelter, built both memories and muscles. "I think it was the hardest thing I've ever done because it was truly a labor love," Johnson said. "I didn't get rich doing it, and it was the hardest work I've ever did, but I also think it was the most important thing that I can look at in my life say, 'I had an impact, I think it was a good thing to do.'"

Johnson enjoys hearing stories from people who tell him about their hiking experiences on Grandfather Mountain and how that has enriched their lives. "It's something I helped create and had a part in that," Johnson said. "It's gratifying."

He said part of the casual visitor's experience is the contact with preserved wilderness that gives tourists the chance to walk trails. Johnson said the concept of tourism has evolved, with environmental preservation and outdoor activities now are a major tourism force. Adventure travel for the entire family is a booming industry. "The hardcore hiker and camper is still there," Johnson said.

"You hear people talking about ecotourism," he added. "I think ecotourism got a little bit of its start at Grandfather Mountain."

Grandfather Mountain's wilderness trails integrate perfectly with the Blue Ridge Parkway trails, Johnson said, offering advice during the construction of the Linn Cove Viaduct on the southern face of the mountain. "It's a pretty spectacular spot," Johnson said.

While still working on the mountain, Johnson honed his skills as a writer and photographer, and he eventually became a full-time writer and editor. However, he cherishes his association with the mountain and visits it often to hike.

"I'm extremely proud of the folks at Grandfather Mountain and the way they have pursued the mission of preserving private property for the public good," Johnson said. "The continuing trail program at Grandfather fits in perfectly with the fact that the Nature Conservancy is preserving the back country in perpetuity at the same time the travel attraction is becoming even more environmentally sensitive."

He cited the renovation of the summit building at the Swinging Bridge, which will be designed to fit more into the environment, and use of more "green building" techniques being used on the mountain.

He credits Crae Morton and other people managing the mountain as being foresighted and passionate about protecting the environment, which in many ways date back to the trail system launch and Hugh Morton's vision.

"Grandfather was green 30 years before it was cool," Johnson said.

About hiking permits on Grandfather:
Hiking is included in the price of park admission, but for those who only want to hike, the following fee schedule is in place.
Rates for Individuals:
Adults $5 per day
Child (4-12 years) $3 per day
Child ages 3 and younger free

•••

Backpacking / camping rates:
Backpackers pay for each day on the mountain. For example, an adult camping one night would be on the mountain two days.
Adult overnight (two days) $10
Child overnight (two days) $6
Rates for groups (10 or more people)
Adults $4 per day
Child (4-12 years) $2 per day

•••

Annual hiking passes:
Passes are valid for one year from the date of purchase and may be purchased at any permit outlet.
Adult individual annual pass (includes all park facilities) $35.
Child individual annual pass (includes all park facilities) $15.
Group annual hiking pass (passholder plus five) $60.

For more information or to see trail maps and descriptions, visit www.grandfather.com/nature_walks